Handmade Thunderbird TYPE Bass

[Bionic-Joe]

Not sure if this is the Proper Location but it's clearly a Thunderbird copy...


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ribbecke-Vintage-1982-Solid-Body-Bass-1-of-4-Very-Rare-Amazing-Tone-Look-Feel-/141680408160?hash=item20fccf7660:g:QMsAAOSwBahVf2KQ

[nofi]

that it is. what's your point.

[Bionic-Joe]

Uh...My POINT?   No point. Just sharing a ridiculously overpriced instrument...

[uwe]

A Thulembic.

The neck-thru design is a redeeming feature - I hate Rev TBs which aren't.

The flamey natural look will of course meet derision today, but in 1982 that was still something I guess.

[Dave W]

It's a product of its time. Ribbecke is either retired now or on the verge of it, but he hasn't made anything like this for years. He's the guy who developed the "halfling"bass for Bobby Vega and then expanded it to a line of guitars.

If you're a Ribbeke collector, the asking price probably isn't out of line. Likewise if you 're looking for a fancy Alembic-type bass in a Thunderbird form. For the rest of us, it's overpriced.

[patman]

Who could take an instrument like that to the usual local venue to play a 4 hour show on the weekend to a room full of people drinking and dancing, when you're making the same amount of money for a gig that you made in 1975?

Doesn't make sense for a weekend warrior.

Maybe if I was a well paid touring professional, playing 300 shows a year...

[copacetic]

Ribekke's acoustic basses are something to behold. Beware....if you happen to get your hands on one they will take you off track and you might start calculating how to get one. Jack Casady made one for him. This was a special order by Jack that included some of his late wife's hair for that DNA feature.

[copacetic]

Mistake: he made one for Jack. There is a video on Jack's website of the process. Quite a beast.

[nofi]

i found this video really interesting from a musical history/philosophical point of view. it's kind of long but may be worth it for somebody out there.

http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2014/06/26/bass-of-the-week-jack-casadys-ribbecke-guitars-diana-bass/

as a part of casady's bass story you have to include alembic. jack owned the first bass made. i did not know of the owsley connection until now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alembic_Inc

[gearHed289]

Definitely some Alembic cues there, especially the headstock veneers.

[TBird1958]

I think it's pretty cool (I'm not always fond of the boutique stuff) thanks for sharing Baz!

I may have to start selling my body (or organs) to pay for it 

[amptech]

I may have to start selling my body (or organs) to pay for it 

Those nice shaved legs of yours in stockings should fetch a decent amount alone

[TBird1958]

Those nice shaved legs of yours in stockings should fetch a decent amount alone

It's my weekend - Wuhoo! Time to shave 

[drbassman]

It would look nice in front of my couch.  A good place to put our drinks.  Seriously, it's beautiful but a bit over the top, especially pricing.  If you got the bucks, splurge!  Otherwise, it has a very small market.

[Dave W]

All Ribbecke instruments have a very small market, yet he still had a waiting list of a few years at one time. He may still, if he hasn't retired yet.